Is it worthwhile to transfer? - Your thoughts taken seriously

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>I'm currently a freshman in SEAS and I'm not too fond of it's majors. </p>

<p>If I were to transfer to the college, I'd look to major in philosophy or comparative religion and maybe pick up a minor in econ or statistics (need to make a living). I'm worried that I'd have difficulty catching up with the college's core requirements seeing as how I've already sunk precious time in gateway and a 'pre-professional' course. Lit-hum as a sophomore doesn't sound fun. </p>

<p>Anyone out there who's done what I'm trying to do? Other opinions would be greatly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Why did you apply to SEAS when you're interested in majoring in philo/comp religion?!?!?!?</p>

3

<p>Why does lit-hum as a soph not sound fun? Would you be deemed a failure if you have to take it a year later than you should?</p>

<p>Some columbia kids amaze me with their triviality...</p>

4

<p>I took Lit Hum as a soph in SEAS, the same situation you're looking at - it was mildly awkward going to class with a bunch of people who all knew each other from orientation, and I was the "outsider" for a bit of time, but you can earn their respect and enjoy the course dialogue (and make friends) just as well as anywhere else.</p>

<p>My freshman-year carman suitemate transferred from SEAS to CC after freshman year. He ended up a Bio major, I believe, and is about to start Med school, so it wasn't that much of a life-altering switch.</p>

<p>I have to say I was in a similar frame of mind my freshman year. My own interests were pretty diverse - I love history, music, sociology, psychology, and a host of other liberal-artsy disciplines. My core skills, though, were in math and science, which is where I could get much easier A's.</p>

<p>What I found was that SEAS is nearly unique in its ability to offer you the resources of a top liberal arts school, while still giving you the core analytical curriculum of an engineering school. I got to take a bunch of courses in the various other disciplines I was interested in, most of them taught exceptionally well, but still kept my focus on a more rigorously analytical major and minor. Eventually I settled on Applied Math as it afforded me the most flexibility in that regard, and did a CS minor out of interest. There are a bunch of similar paths available too.</p>

<p>If you're somewhat in the same situation - lots of math/science skills but diverse interests beyond the sciences - then SEAS can actually prove to be an ideal place. Gateway is the biggest waste of time you'll have in the curriculum, and you've already gotten past that. It's a sunk cost, water under the bridge. From then on - Principles of Econ and Physics Lab possibly notwithstanding - you won't be required to take any courses that will really be a waste of your time. You can choose whatever major (and/or minor) suits your interests or skills the best, and spend your spare time in 1-2 classes per semester doing your philosophy or religion classes. And you'll end up prepared for that job you want at the end of it. Applied Math, for example, requires a couple statistics courses, and Econ courses can count for technical electives.</p>

<p>In my view SEAS lets you have your cake and eat it too: both earning respect for the rigor of your education, and simultaneously getting the opportunity to pursue other interests from a top liberal-arts program.</p>

5

<p>wow... guess that qualifies for a "thought taken seriously". Denz, your favorite color in 1,500 words or less, Go~</p>

6

<p>Have you considered a double major (BS/BA), aka 4-1 program? It's tough, but looks darn good on your resume. I really think its an awesome combination, whether you plan to go to grad school later or not.</p>

<p>Still, I think taking Lit Hum a year later is good. I always thought Cont. Civ and Lit Hum in the same year was a bit too much.</p>

<p>Good luck to you with your decision.</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
wow... guess that qualifies for a "thought taken seriously". Denz, your favorite color in 1,500 words or less, Go~

[/quote]

it's harder, and takes more time, to write something meaningful and insightful in few words than it does to write something longer.</p>

<p>Hence the famous quote, "I'm sorry I wrote you a long letter, I didn't have time to write you a short one."</p>

<p>Hopefully Narc can pick out the parts of that post which are interesting to him and we can go from there.</p>

8

<p>
[QUOTE]
Why did you apply to SEAS when you're interested in majoring in philo/comp religion?!?!?!?

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>I know I'm answering for someone else, but is should be said that not everyone is one-dimensional and that having interests in both engineering and philosophy is commendable.</p>

9

<p>Narc&Gold: You'll be fine. Like Denz said, you can make friends in Lit Hum as a sophomore.</p>

<p>A close friend of mine transfered from SEAS to CC, and took lit hum his junior year. It was a little weird, I think, but he had the benefit of 2 years at Columbia behind him, and so was more comfortable wiht the material and had a better understanding of what was expected from the course. This might have made up for his initial inability to relate to the freshmen. Not for long, though, I think he dated a girl from his class for a little while after :D</p>

<p>Your major preferences are totally not what SEAS offer--so go ahead, make the transfer, it's not such a stark difference, lit hum is ONE class. You're not going to a differnet school. You'll have the same friends, same campus, same stinky caffeinated/red bulled 209 Butler...</p>